PR vs. Marketing: What’s the Difference and When Should You Hire Each Firm?

PR and marketing — they go together like salt and pepper. There are times that you need them both to make a delicious beauty brand meal, but they are quite different flavors that can also be used separately.

What is PR?

Public relations is about maintaining a favorable public image which directly supports the brand as a whole. Driving a positive reputation requires a strategic communication process that will build mutually beneficial relationships for your brand. Although traditional media will never fully go away, public relations is slowly transitioning to digital media.

It can be difficult to measure success in a tangible way when it comes to PR. However, some industry measurements of success include positive press in relevant top-tier and trade publications and broadcast outlets, awards won at high-profile industry events and buzz from social media followers, journalists, industry influencers, and the general public about about a product or the company as a whole.

What is Marketing?

Most businesses are transitioning toward digital marketing instead of traditional advertising. Digital marketing supports the sales team when a company is trying to achieve direct revenue.

The measurement of success for digital marketing is if the ROI for the campaign was high. Another way to track if your digital marketing campaign did well is if the product or service being marketing met or exceeded the sales goal. Digital marketing tactics will provide businesses with tangible results.

When to Hire a PR Agency

When your business objectives are clear

When need access to larger network

The brand’s own connections and networks should build the foundation

If you’re planning a new product launch

If you’re rebranding

If you want to build brand awareness and recognition

PR is all about relationships, make sure when you choose a PR agency that has expertise in your specific niche

When to Hire a Marketing Agency

If you’re a small or medium start-up

If you’re a large brand looking to streamline your process

If your in-house team needs more resources

If you’re looking for more diverse skill sets

When you’re trying to push a sales message

When you want access to influencer databases

PR vs. Marketing

When choosing between a PR and marketing agency, make sure you are clear on what your business goals are. Determining what type of agency to go with depends on what you wish to achieve as a company. If you are looking for tangible results of a sales campaign, hiring a digital marketing agency is a good route. If your business is launching a new product or collection and need access to a larger network, a public relations team would be the better choice.

If your beauty or lifestyle brand is looking for a full-service digital marketing agency that offers both marketing and PR capabilities, please contact our agency Taylor & Pond for more information.

Looking to learn more agency tips? Check out our Agency Life category now!

Izzy is a Public Relations Manager at Taylor & Pond with a demonstrated history of working in the digital marketing industry. Her specific focus is in the beauty and lifestyle industries. Originally from Michigan, she now resides in sunny San Diego and brunching is her favorite hobby!

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Created by leading digital marketing agency Taylor & Pond, Digital Beauty is your go-to resource for all things beauty and tech. From product launches to the newest advances in virtual reality, Digital Beauty has all the must-know information for CMOs, content creators, creatives, influencers, and agencies alike.